Investigations on the rectal absorption of chloramphenicol in rabbits after tenside use

The rectal dose of 16 mg.kg-1 b.w. chloramphenicol (1) without additional tensides did not result in any detectable absorption of effective substance. In contrast, 0.04% of the N-lauroylleucine tenside allowed a rectal absorption having the same effect as that of an injection of the same quantities of effective substance. The tenside efficiency was not influenced by varied suppository masses (gelatine or Rosupol U, respectively), or by the pH value of the suppositories. Different particle sizes (less than 40 microns or greater than or equal to 40 up to less than 400 microns) of 1 did not change the absorption rate (AUC0-5h) significantly, but did change the plasma concentration-time profile considerably.